Shock absorber



ing shaft 8, and arms 6 and 9, in an anticlockwise direction, as shownby dotted lines, Figures 1 and Yv2, sliding thenpiston 3, in

cylinder 2, toward the shaft 8,/opening the valve 14, which allows airto pass .trous ju'sted for-Ward or back so as to open the chamber 22, tochamber 21. This movement takes place with noy resistance except' thevfriction 'of the moving parts, but when the spring tends to retract andsuddenly raise Lhebody of the vehicle, the arms 9 and and shaft 8, arerapidly rocked in av clocknwise direction toward their normal position,

and as the piston 3, is near its extreme position, the toggle action oflink 4, imparts a rapid movement to piston 3, closing the valve 14, andrapidly compressing the air in chamber 21, which resistsvthe return offtheparts to normal position, 'modifylng the reex movement of the pringswhich tends.

' to suddenlyraise the body of the vehicle.

When theQvehiele wheels drop into a hole in the road, the yarms 9 and 6,and shaft 8, are rocked clockwise from their normal position, us shownin Fig. 6, again sliding the pistonl 3, in cylinder'2, towardshaft 8,openin the valve 14, ,as before, and when the re eX action .of thespring takes place, in conjunction with gravity,'to suddenly forcethebody downward, the piston 3 is again forced away fromshaft 8, closingthe valve 14, and compressing the air in chamber 21, as before,resisting the upward movement of arm 9, thus preventing the sudden dropof the vehicle body..` When the Wheels engage the opposite side of thehole in the road, the same -action takes ,place inthe moving parts ofthe absorber as when the Wheels engage a protrusion. described above,thus checking the relexaction of the vehicle springs which tend tosuddenly raisefthe body of the ve hicle.

Another preferred :form of air control mechanism is shown in Fig. 5. Thevalve 32, operates ina similar manner to that o the. Valve 1.4, exceptthat it is not tripped to and resistance offered topiston 3. By meansrelieve the air pressure.` The safety valve 33, is firmly held to itsseat 34, by means of the spring1 35, the adjusting screw 36, beinremployed to adjust the spring pressure ant thereby to adjust the amountof air pressure of this adjustment, the absorber is adapted to properlycontrol the various abnormal movements of' different vehicle springs.

The tripping screw 80, opens safety valve" 33, as the piston 3, nearsthe end of its stroke, relieving the air' pressure. as before. Referringmore especially to Figs. land 6. It will be v:seen that the lever 9 hasan uin-y molinos ,restricted Zone oi' movement in either direction nearits central position during the time thatthe pressure of the duid inchamber 21 yis released, and also is unrestricted in its valves 14 and38 respectively sooner or later during the stroke of the piston whichregulates the amount of free action allowed to the lever 9 near itscentral position, thus regulating the amount ofi unrestricted movementor" the vehicle spring at its normal po sition.v The screws 29 and 39may be ad justed back far enough to allow the resist ance of thecompressed ges to exert .its force, on lever 9, tothe extreme end eztthe pie ton stroke. thus eliminating the unrestricted zone mentionedabove.

When the piston 3, is at the beginnin` of' its compression stroke thearmo, and 'nk 4,- are in their angular position and as the movementrequired. lit is true that the pie.

ton. ressure is increased as it moves down War but tliisis more thanoiset 4bythe action of the toggle as it lengthens or straightens` outand the slight leakege el Huid by. the piston so that the resistanceolered to lever 9, decreases as the parte near their noru mal positionthus imparting a decrees-ing movement to the vehicle spring.

In many cases, this safety valvev adjust? ment will besuch-as to allowenough air to escape toy overcome the objectionable reaction of thecompressed air on the moving parts heretofore mentioned, Without tripuping a valve. ln lig. 6, the valve 3?, acts the saine as valve 32,andthe safety valve v38 is the same as safety valve 33, except that thevalve is located in the piston instead of in the cap. The tripping`screw 39, may be adjusted back far enough to miss the valve 38, Whentheadjnstmentof valve 38', is such as to allow sutlcient gas -to escape toovercome the reactive action on the moving parts, as above mentioned. l

1' am aware that many arrangements of parts may be employed toaccomplish the same results as described in the foregoing.

The intake valve could be installed in theh body and communicate withthe atmosphere Youtside instead ci being located in, the piano p Miti

' tou; the vvalve v'could be tripped at the be- .'its compressionstroke,

grinning of the return stroke vinstead of at tlm endof the cnnpressionstroke; other nwans than a toggle could be employed to operate piston 3;a passage could be provided in the body 1, to allow the escape of thefluid fronithe compression chamber 261, bacinto the suction `chamberinstead of cinbloyiiig'a valve and many other mechanisms could beemployed Without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

W'hat I claim as new is Set forth in the 'following claims g1. Incombination with a vehicle body,

' 'running gear and spring, of'a shock absorby,er comprising twoelements relatively mov- "iebie in relation to each other, one of saidelements being adapted to be lconnected to the vehicle body and theother t-o tlie'running gear, and`means toresist the relative movement ofthe two elements in such a manner that the' vehicle spring is adapted tocontract and expand freely within an unl restricted zone of .movementnear its normal ,'iosition, and in either direction away fromunrestricted zone, and checked in its `movements in either direction'toward its unrestricted zone.

2. In combination with a vehicle body, running' gearand spring, of ashock absorber comprisingftwo elements relatively movable in relation toeach other, one of said elements being adapted to be .connectedto thevehicle body and the other'to the iunning gear, and means to resist therelative movement ofthe two elements in suoli ay manner'that the'vehiclespring is adapted to contract and expand freely vwithin an unrestrictedzone of movement near its normal position, and in either direction awayfrom its unrestricted zonechecked in its movements rin either directiontoward its unrestricted zonefand means to adjust the amplitude of theunrestricted zone.v

3. In a shock absorber, a body element, a piston adapted to travel inthe body element forming a compression chamber and suctionv chamber, avalve co-'operating with the piston to compress a fluid in the bodyelement, means to release the iiuid from the compression chamber to thesuctionl chamber, and means to adjust said release in relation 'to theposition of the; piston.

4. In a shock absorber, a body element, a piston to :reciprocate in thebody element, a valve (zo-operating with the piston to com lpress a gas,means to impart an accelerating,` movement to thepiston duringitssuction stroke, and a decelerating movement during and means torelease th'e compressed gas when the piston is near the end of itstravel.

5. In combination with a vehicle "cody,

l running` gear and spring,

j c of a shock absorber comprising.,l two elements relatively movable inrelation to each other,. one of said elements being adapted to beconnected to the vehicle body and the other to the runnin,"r gear, andmeans to resist the relative movement of the two elements in such amanner that the vehicle spring' is adapted to contract and expand freelywithin au unrestricted zone of movement near its normal position,l andin either direction away trom its .unrestricted zone, and checked in itsmovements iii either direction toward its unrestricted zone,l saidresistance decreasing and becomingnil as the unrestricird zone isreached.

6. In a shock absorber. ay body element, a piston lo reciprocate in thebody element, a rockshaft, a valve adapted to co-operate with the pistonto compress aA ,fz-(is, means to operate the piston bythe rocksliaft,and means to release the'excess pressure of the gras.l

7. In a shock absorber. a body element, 'a piston to reciprocate in thebody element.y a rockshaft, a valve adapted to cooperate with the pistonto compress a gas. means to operate the piston from the rockshaft. andmeans .to release the comnressed gas when the piston is near the end ofits travel. j

8. In a shock absorber, comprising a body element, and piston element,adapted to travel freely in the body element in one direction and meansto resist its movement in the other direction of its travel, means torelease I said resistance, and means to adjust the position cf saidrelease relative to the movement oi the piston. y v

9. Ina shock absorber., a body element, a

.piston adapted to reciprocate in the body element, a valve(3o-operating with the pis-v ton to compress a gas in the body element,means to impart an accelerating; movement to the piston duriiipr itssuction stroke and a decelerating movement during its compression strokeand means to regulate the ten'- sion ofthe gas. y

l0. In a shock absorber. abody element, a piston to reciprocate .in thebody element,

a valve adapted to co-operate with the piston to compress a gas, meansto impart an accelerating movement to' the piston during its suctionstroke. anda deceleratiner movement during its compression stroke, andmeans to relieve the excess pressure of the gas.

l1. In a shock absorber, a body element, a piston adapted to travel inthe body elenient, a toggle to impart a reciprocatory` movement to thepiston, a valve adapted to c'o-operate with the piston to compress agas, and means to release the compressed gas when the piston isnea-r.tlie end of its travel.

12. In a shock absorber, a body element, a piston to reciprocate in thebody element, a toggle adapted to impart .reciprocating niotion to lthepiston, a valve cl3-operating with the piston to com'press a gas in thebody ele-,l

ment-and means to relieve the excess pressure ot' the gas.

13. In a shock absorber, a body element, a

piston adapted to travel in thebody ele-A ment, a toggle adapted toimpart areciprooatory movement to the piston, a valve cooperating withthe piston to compress av gas in the body element and means to adjustthe tens/ion of the gas.

14, In a shock absorber,a body element, a`

piston adapted to reci'orocate in the body element, a Valve co-operatingwith the piston to compress a gas in the body clement, means to operatethe piston and means to trip the valve while the piston is near the endof its stroke to release the compressed gas.

piston adapted to reciorocate in the body element, a valve cooperatingrwith the piston to compress I gas, a safety valve to release theexcessoressure as the piston nears y 15. YIn a shock absorber, a body element,a l

-valve toirelease the gas whilenthe piston is near'the end of itsstroke.

17. In combination with a vehicle body, running gear and spr1n,q,of ashock absorber l,comprising two elements relativelyy movablel to eachother, one of said elements being adapted to be connected to'the vehiclebody and the other to the running gear, and means 'to resistthe relativemove ments of the two elements 1n such a manner that the vehicle springis adapted to eigpand or contract freelv within an unrestricted zonenear its normal position, and as it moves away from its unrestrictedzone, and is checked as it moves toward its unrestrict* ed zone.

1 8. In combination with a vehicle body,

running lgear and spring, of 'a shock abf' sorber comprising twoelements movable relative .to each other, one ofsaid elements beingadapted to be connected to the ve hiole body andthe other to the'running gear, and means to resist the relative movement of the twoelements in such a manner that the vehicle spring is adapted to expandor contract in a direction away rom its normalposition freely, butwllllbe decreasngly resisted as it expands or contracts toward.

its normal position.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my HENRY O. FLETCHER.

. hand.

